What was the Australian Open called when it began in 1905?

What was the Australian Open called when it began in 1905? The answer is the Australasian Championships.

The tournament began in November 1905 as the Australasian Championships, reflecting its original connection to both Australia and New Zealand. The inaugural event was played at the Warehouseman’s Cricket Ground in Melbourne, on grass courts. Australian Rodney Heath won the first men’s singles title.

The name changed as the tournament’s identity became more specifically Australian. It was renamed the Australian Championships in 1927, after New Zealand’s involvement in the event’s administration declined. In 1969, the tournament became the Australian Open when professionals were allowed to compete alongside amateurs.

The early championship was not permanently based in Melbourne. It moved among cities including Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth, and was also held in Christchurch and Hastings, New Zealand. That history explains why names such as Australian Championships and Australasian Championships can both appear in historical accounts, but the 1905 name was specifically Australasian Championships.